This is a program designed for families who would like to develop a supportive relationship with an older child.  These children are typically from orphanages and/or extremely impoverished families where parents are not able to care for them (often living with aunts/uncles/grandparents).   These children are not available for adoption.  The children would stay with a family in the United States from July 7 – August 25.

The cost is $3,000.  It is tax-deductible and we may be able to advise you on fundraising ideas.

Please contact our office at 317.569.0770 if you are interested.

We have two children eligible for hosting.  Would you like to give a child the experience of a lifetime?

In September of 2011, the couple, and Amber, went through the IVF process.  Fortunately for them, they ended up with six embryos available for transfer.  The couple chose to have two embryos transferred to Amber (the surrogate) and four embryos transferred to Misty.  Their doctor told them that it would be a long shot for Misty to get pregnant with those embryos; after all, it hadn’t worked the previous times.  However, the couple held out hope.

Two excruciating weeks later, the couple found out that both Misty and Amber were pregnant!  A true miracle had occurred!  Shortly after, they found out the both women are carrying twins.

Now, Misty and Brian are preparing themselves to be parents of quadruplets.  Since the embryos were conceived at the same time, Misty and her surrogate, Amber, are due on the same day.  There are some logistical birth details to work out.  Brian and Misty now live in Seattle, while Amber lives in Indiana.  Brian has committed that if Misty has given birth, he will travel to Indiana to be there when Amber gives birth.  Once the babies are safe to travel, Brian and Misty will bring them home where they will finally realize their dream of having a child times FOUR!  These are four additional reasons that we are so proud to be involved in building families.

The Bakers have been inundated with media attention, here in Indiana and nationally.  Check out their interview on WRTV 6 here.

To follow the Baker’s journey go here.

Two Happy Homes was created by Traci Whitney, a designer and mother of 3 kids, who, after she went through a divorce, was looking for a better way to communicate with her coparent.  The website offers many tools and features that helps parents manage their time, resources, information and finances in coordination with the other parent.   Two Happy Homes is dedicated to providing coparents a place where they can come together to solve everyday parenting issues.  The site offers tools such as:

• A shared family calendar that both parents can access while not living in the same home.  It also has a robust parenting schedule feature that color codes days with each parent.
• A financial tracking tool that allows parents to track shared expenses and payments.  It will even keep a running total which parent owes the other and how much.
• A medical information section where parents can keep their children’s prescription information, insurance providers and medical contacts.
• An online community that shares expert advice as well as support from other parents.

And more!

Look for Traci to share information on her coparenting experiences in the near future on our blog at HARDEN JACKSON.  In the meantime, check out the site here.

Leah Potter

HARDEN JACKSON LLC

11450 N. Meridian, Carmel, IN 46032

Phone: 317.569.0770

Email: lpotter@hardenjacksonlaw.com

Web site: www.hardenjacksonlaw.com

For Immediate Release

ADOPTION ATTORNEY DISCUSSES FEDERAL ADOPTION TAX CREDIT SET TO EXPIRE IN 2012

CARMEL, IN – May 2, 2012 -  Attorney Michele Jackson, who chairs the Adoption & Reproductive Law Practice Group of Harden Jackson LLC,  was interviewed on WIBC 93.1 to weigh in on the federal adoption tax credit that is set to expire in 2012.

Currently, adoptive parents are allowed a $12,650 (non-refundable) tax credit.   Unless Congress acts, the act will expire this year. There are two bills proposed for approval to extend the tax credit (HR184 and S82).  However, if there is not an extension, international adoptions completed in 2013 will receive no tax benefits.  Considering an adoption can cost anywhere from $10,000-$50,000, this tax credit can make a difference in financial planning for adoption.

Jackson remains dedicated to advocating for this tax credit extension and encourages potential adoptive parents to do the same.  Through her law practice and adoption agency, Jackson will continue to provide education, support and advocacy for international adoption.
Jackson is a founding member of Jocham Harden Dimick Jackson where she offers numerous legal services for domestic and international adoptions including private and agency adoptions, step-parent adoptions, second parent adoptions, and surrogacy contracts.  In addition, Jackson offers other international family law services, including adoption contract reviews, international custody, abduction prevention, and orphan visa appeals.  Jackson was an Adjunct Law Professor at the IU School of Law, Indianapolis from 2005-2010, where she taught classes on International Comparative Family Law and International Organizations Law.  She has also directed seminars and conferences as well as Continuing Legal Education classes on topics such as Adoption Law and Assisted Reproductive Law (Surrogacy). A frequent speaker, Jackson has addressed audiences in Indiana, nationally and internationally.  Her articles on subjects such as adoption, child labor, sexual exploitation, and the plight of orphans, have been featured in numerous print and online publications.

Jackson had advised foreign Consulates on issues relating to international family law and orphan visa denials.  As a member of the American Bar Association, she has been actively involved in developing and drafting the ABA Model Legislation for surrogacy and reproductive law.

She has also directed seminars and Continuing Legal Education classes on topics such as “How to Pursue International Adoption,” “A Child Without a Family,” and “CHINS in Indiana

Harden Jackson, LLC is a Carmel law firm providing personalized service with a responsive and compassionate approach.  As effective and experienced litigators, the attorneys work with clients to develop strategies for negotiating settlements, while always preparing for litigation if necessary.  The practice assists clients in all areas of family law, adoption and reproductive law matters.  For more information, please contact Leah Potter at 317.569.0770 or www.hardenjacksonlaw.com .

To hear the news segment, go HERE

]]> http://www.hardenjacksonlaw.com/blog/adoption/press-release-adoption-attorney-discusses-federal-adoption-tax-credit-set-to-expire-in-2012/feed/ 0 http://www.hardenjacksonlaw.com/blog/surrogacy/assisted-reproductive-law/indiana-teacher-claims-she-was-fired-for-undergoing-infertility-treatments/ http://www.hardenjacksonlaw.com/blog/surrogacy/assisted-reproductive-law/indiana-teacher-claims-she-was-fired-for-undergoing-infertility-treatments/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:38:38 +0000 Leah http://www.hardenjacksonlaw.com/blog/?p=904 An Indiana woman is claiming she was fired from her Catholic school teaching job for ungergoing in vitro fertilization treatments.  The woman is now suing the diocese  in what could be  a legal showdown over reproductive and religious rights.

Emily Herx’s lawsuit accuses the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and St. Vincent de Paul school in Fort Wayne of discrimination for her terminating her last June. Herx says that the church pastor told her she was a “grave, immoral sinner” and that she should have kept quiet about her fertility treatments because some things are “better left between the individual and God,” the complaint said.   The diocese responded  saying it “views the core issue raised in this lawsuit as a challenge to the diocese’s right, as a religious employer, to make religious based decisions consistent with its religious standards on an impartial basis.”  The Catholic church is against any type of infertility treatments.  In fact, when Herx appealed the termination decision to Fort Wayne Bishop Kevin Rhoades, he told her IVF was “an intrinsic evil, which means that no circumstances can justify it.”

We’ve posted previously (HERE) about the possibility of discrimination against children conceived via Assisted Reproductive Technology.  Is seems that this now is extending to the potential parents as well.  It will be interesting to follow the case to see what the future holds for Reproductive Rights.

The couple had struggled to get pregnant prior to her cancer diagnosis and had two frozen embryos as their last hope.  Due to the cancer fighting drugs Giuliana has taken, she would have to wait years to carry a child.  They chose surrogacy and now have a baby on the way.

You can read more about their interview here:  http://todayentertainment.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/23/11348819-giuliana-and-bill-rancic-were-having-a-baby

1. If you don’t have a detailed parenting visitation schedule, create one.  This may be difficult for former spouses to come to an agreement.  If you are unable to come up with a mutually agreeable schedule, consult a professional to aid with this.  The more detailed your agreement is, the less room for interpretation, therefore less conflict.
2. Recognize the emotional impact this may have on the children.   A significant change in schedule can bring up emotions for the children.  This could be positive or negative emotions, but usually a mixture of both.  Children thrive on routine, and summer visitation schedules usually vary significantly from the routines that the children became accustomed to during the school year.  Depending on the ages of the children, explain to them the exact schedule and where they will be at any given time.  Create a calendar with color coded days signifying when they will be at mom’s house and when they will be at dad’s house.
3. Plan accordingly.  This may include scheduling time off work or altering your work schedule when the children are visiting.  Plan appropriate summer-time activities.  If you are the non-custodial parent, this may also include arranging for care (nanny, babysitter etc.).  If possible, utilize their same care provider at both homes for consistency.  This
4. Be supportive if your child misses the other parent.  Don’t take this personally or assume this means the child loves the other parent more than you.  Look for ways to calm your child and allow them to speak frequently with their other parent.  This will only help build your bond with your child.

The best interest of the child is always the most important thing to keep in mind.  Both parents should communicate and cooperate to make sure  reasonable visitation time is met and the child feels safe and secure.  If you need assistance with determining child visitation or custody, contact HARDEN JACKSON at 317-569-0770 or www.hardenjacksonlaw.com.

Remember, these suggestions are not meant to be legal advice. You should consult an attorney to discuss the specifics of your situation.

New York Times Article:

Amy Kossoff Smith, the founder of a parenting Web site, has a ritual when she has to go on the road. She leaves a printed itinerary of all the carpools, sports practices and games, baby-sitter hours and anything else her husband might need.

Michele L. Jackson, a lawyer in Indiana who travels for her international adoption work, said she leaves files back home for each of her children with information on their activities and their medical records. She said she also texts instructions from the road, adding that she is “sure to include some sweetness” for her husband in the note “so he doesn’t feel like an employee.”

Peace of mind for working mothers who have to travel comes in all sorts of forms. While working fathers who go away on business may use some of the same tactics, mothers are often the ones laying out their children’s skating outfits and freezing extra dinners before they leave town.

Ms. Smith, whose Web site is called MomTini Lounge, said children thrive on routine and structure, “so moms who travel try to minimize the disruption at home.” She said she jettisons any unnecessary commitments like play dates to streamline the family schedule as much as possible while she is away.

Single parents can find travel even more challenging because they have to hand over care of the children to a sitter, friend or relative. This is especially tough, Ms. Smith said, if those caregivers are not as familiar with the family routines. “Juggling these things might be second nature to Mom, but for the person who doesn’t do it all the time, it can feel overwhelming,” she said. She recommended making a list or sharing an electronic calendar.

Some working mothers said they also have doctor, emergency, school and neighbor contact lists. Others said they set up grocery delivery services and order drug store supplies online.

Technology helps, too, once parents are on the road. Ms. Smith suggested that parents follow their children’s lead in deciding whether to text, e-mail or go to Facebook. “If the kids communicate via text, then working parents do, too,” she said. “And every PC and smartphone is now a video conference device.”

Phaedra Cucina, the author of the picture book “My Mommy’s on a Business Trip” (DolceVita Woman, 2008), said mothers can show younger children their hotel room using Skype. “It’s comforting for a young child to see mommy in her hotel room waving and making silly faces,” Ms. Cucina said. Older children might prefer sharing the city sights with their mother via an iPhone pointed out the window of a taxi.

But while traveling parents may be tempted by the technology to check in often, Ms. Smith said they should not try to run their households from the road. “It’s time to focus on business, not making sure your son’s homework is done,” she said. “It can be a nice break for everyone.”

Ms. Smith also said parents should manage their family’s expectations before leaving. “Things may not run as smoothly,” she said. She said she advises parents to include children as part of a team, to get things done while a parent is on the road. “Sometimes parents come home from a trip and discover their children do know how to load a dishwasher or clean their own clothes,” she said.

Leaving a meal plan is another way for some traveling mothers to keep the home running smoothly, said Lauren Fix, an automotive expert and former racecar driver who traveled over the years for speaking engagements and automotive shows. She said she used to store premade meals in the freezer and refrigerator for her children and husband. Sometimes, she said, she would leave homemade cookies as a surprise or a pot of soup or chili that could last for a few meals.

As her children got older, she said, she taught them basic, and then more advanced, cooking skills so they could make their own omelets, rice, pasta, barbecued chicken and paninis. She asked them to do their own laundry and to leave the house “clean but not spotless.”

And while it took some nagging at the time, Ms. Fix said, now that one child is in college and the other will be soon, “it turns out that cooking, cleaning and doing laundry are skills their classmates don’t all have,” she said. Other students are “always asking my daughter how to get a stain out, or how to cook something.”

Laura Kastner, a psychologist and co-author of books on family issues in Seattle, said a family’s ability to function well with a traveling mother is also linked to its members’ attitudes. “When Mom loves her work, Dad is happy to contribute and feels appreciated, and the kids can adapt well to changes in routines, all should go smoothly,” she said. Parents who treat business travel as just another facet of life that needs to be managed “usually do just fine,” according to Dr. Kastner.

Problems arise, Dr. Kastner said, when parents feel ambivalent or resentful. “If Mom talks about feeling guilty, or Dad starts sniping about the extra load he is carrying, it can set off some bad dynamics,” she said, adding that she advises parents to approach travel with “resourcefulness and optimism.”

Some children are better equipped to handle things emotionally when a mother is away, Dr. Kastner said. “Kids who are resilient, can handle change and some adversity, and aren’t very emotionally volatile will go with the flow, “ she said.

Parents need to tend to emotional issues also, and younger children can be especially upset when parents travel, Ms. Cucina said. She suggested that the caregiver plan a special event like a pizza night while a parent is away so the child will have something to look forward to.

Some families prepare a calendar showing when the mother will be away, display a map or take the children to the airport to say goodbye. “These little touches make younger children feel a part of what’s going on,” Ms. Cucina said, and give mothers the chance to reassure the children that they will “be back home soon.”

Infertility groups across the nation have rallied support for this bill.  RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association is taking that a step further.  RESOLVE is sponsoring Advocacy Day on April 25^th, 2012 in Washington D.C.   Participants will spend the day talking to Members of Congress about the disease of Infertility.  The message from RESOLVE is that,  “Congress can help make a difference in the lives of patients battling infertility by making vital medical treatment options more accessible, and strengthening the federal commitment to research that will lead to prevention of and treatments for infertility.”

Once registered, the organization will make appointments with the participants’ Congress person, and then provide training and materials for participants to make the most of their meeting.  Participants will also be paired with other advocates from their state or RESOLVE staff members at these meetings to ensure effective communication of their message.

If you are interested in attending Advocacy day, you may find more information at: http://familybuilding.resolve.org/site/PageServer?pagename=advday_home